


Inevitable

by Rose_of_Pollux



Series: Inktober for Writers, 2019 [8]
Category: Perfect Strangers
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-11-27 23:51:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20956991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_of_Pollux/pseuds/Rose_of_Pollux
Summary: [Based on episode 4x14].  As far as Larry is concerned, it isn’t “if” something will go wrong on their vacation--it’s “when.”





	Inevitable

**Author's Note:**

> This vignette was inspired by today’s Intkober prompt (“frail”) and takes place shortly after the events of episode 4x14, “Come Fly With Me,” which ends with the squad arriving in Hawaii—but we never got to actually see what happened _while_ they were in Hawaii, so here’s this.

It was a relief to everyone after Jennifer and Mary Anne had recovered from the effects of the _chaldikis_, allowing them to enjoy their Hawaiian vacation with Larry and Balki. Balki was enjoying himself immensely—how could he not, when it was encouraged here to wear the loudest colors possible?

Larry, however, couldn’t help but feel anxious. The disastrous camping trip had only been a few months behind them—and there was the equally-disastrous ski vacation two years before that. Something was going to go wrong here, and it would most likely be his fault—causing the others more misery.

And that was why he was trying to keep his distance from the other three as they made their way through lush tropical gardens. Jennifer was stopping to admire the local flora, while Balki and Mary Anne chatted between themselves, Mary Anne stopping every now and again to take pictures with her camera.

Larry took a side path in the garden on a small, wooden bridge over a pond, failing to notice the sign in front, warning that the bridge was frail and unstable. He could get a good view of the others on the main path. They were happy on this trip; he would continue keeping his distance and letting them enjoy themselves without his bad luck interfering.

It was almost incredible, really, how unlucky he could be…

He sighed and watched the fish swimming in the pond beneath the bridge he was standing on—they swam around, expecting food that other tourists no doubt threw to them, and Larry lazily watched his reflection in the water get disturbed by the fish.

He had to admit that he envied them—they were able to swim around without a care in the world, unburdened by anxiety.

He let his mind go blank as he watched the fish, trying to be more like them—carefree and not hung up on anything. And it was quite a while before he realized that someone was calling his name.

“Larry! Hey, Larry!”

Almost in a stupor, he looked up to see Jennifer waving to him.

“Balki! Mary Anne! I found him!” she called out before heading down the side path towards the tiny wooden bridge. “Larry, where did you disappear to!? It just isn’t any fun without you there, too!”

“Oh, I’m… sure you don’t really need me there,” Larry stammered. “I don’t mind sitting out for a bit…”

She gave him a sympathetic look and now joined him on the bridge, which creaked under their combined weight, but neither of them noticed it.

“Larry, are you feeling jet-lagged?” she asked.

“…Yeah. Jet-lagged. Yeah, that’s it,” Larry said, a little too hastily. “Maybe I should just head back to the hotel and rest.”

He hadn’t been convincing enough; Jennifer quickly realized that wasn’t it at all.

“Larry, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he insisted. “Well… Nothing yet.” He turned away, leaning against the wooden railing of the bridge and looking down at the fish again. “But just wait for it; with me around, something will go wrong eventually. Happens every time we go on vacation.”

Jennifer gently took him by the shoulder and turned him around to face her.

“I know I get on your case about that,” she admitted. “But no matter how upset I get about it, I know you never intend for those things to happen. And I like spending time with you. I mean, are you really going to keep avoiding me and Balki and Mary Anne so that nothing goes wrong? I don’t want that—and I’m sure they don’t, either.”

She put her arms around him and kissed him, adding her weight against the railing in the process, which was more than the old, frail bridge could handle. There was a resounding _CRACK_, and Larry felt himself falling backwards; by reflex, he grabbed for the closest thing near him—which, alas, happened to be Jennifer, who was still holding onto him.

The fish scattered as the couple landed in the pond; it wasn’t deep, and they both surfaced, but Larry had a look of absolute mortification on his face, which was matched by the look on Jennifer’s.

“Jen… I’m so sorry, Jen…”

“…Actually, I think that one might’ve been on me…” she admitted, after a moment.

They were soon helped out of the pond by Balki and Mary Anne; realizing how discomfited Larry and Jennifer must be feeling after their tumble in the pond, Balki suggested they abandon the garden and head for the nearest beach—one with a view of green sand, the likes of which they had never seen before.

The tide was in, and as they traversed the shoreline, they were soon all equally doused by the larger waves. As Balki and Mary Anne perused the shoreline for seashells, Jennifer grabbed Larry’s hand and ran after them, determined not to let him distance himself from them.

He was surprised, but grateful.

And they all managed to have a wonderful time.


End file.
